


12 Birds of Christmas

by Icechild



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batbrothers (DCU), Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Batfamily (DCU), Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Cookies, Family Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:49:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icechild/pseuds/Icechild
Summary: 12 short stories of the Batfamily and Christmas. From baking cookies together to Holiday missions gone wrong. 12 chapters of fluff and bats and maybe a bonus chapter of the Robin's being deaged and Bruce playing with his smol kids as a Christmas present for all of you.Chapter 1 (Snowball)----------------------Chapter 7 (Alarms)Chapter 2 (Candy Cane Mishap)-------------Chapter 8 (Holiday Hang Man)Chapter 3 (Baking)------------------------Chapter 9 (Sleds and Hot chocolate)Chapter 4 (Comatose)---------------------Chapter 10 (Deck The Halls)Chapter 5 (Gala)--------------------------Chapter 11 (Mission Gone Wrong)Chapter 6 (Holiday Stakeout)----------------Chapter 12 (Merry Christmas!)
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne
Comments: 20
Kudos: 173





	1. Snowball

The manor was quiet. Silence filling the air with only the crackling from the fire place at the other end of the study filling the void. Bruce sat the papers he’d been reading down on his desk and leaned back into his chair. Leaning his head back against the soft worn leather he finally allowed himself a moment to breathe. 

Things had been hectic in Gotham both as Bruce Wayne and Batman. There were Christmas parties Bruce Wayne had to go to and be seen at but the holidays always made his rogues gallery go a little haywire. Everyone had come home for the special holiday. It was the one rule Dick made sure to enforce outside of keeping everyone in his family safe. 

Then it clicked. 

Bruce had four boys in the house right now. 

It should  _ not  _ be this quiet.

Quickly he made his way down the stairs and found nothing. No people. No sound. Nothing. He didn’t even see Alfred. Immediately worst case scenarios started filling his mind. Had something happened and he somehow managed to miss it? No. It wasn’t like he was in the cave or out of the house. He was just in his study. There was no way he would have missed an all out assault. 

A hired kidnapping? Someone breaking through the security was hard to do and very rare but not altogether impossible. He went to every room he could think his family would be in and found nothing. The panic gripping him tighter with every second. He was about to go down to the cave to begin his hunt with better equipment when he heard a shout from outside. 

Quickly he grabbed his coat and shoes and ran out the front steps of the manor. He was expecting to see kidnappers, robbers, something. He was not anticipating Alfred sitting on a bench watching the boys as they had a snowball fight behind crafted walls of snow in the yard. Ace and Titus rough housing with each other and rolling around in the other half. He watched as Jason hurled another snowball over the wall and saw it explode into Dick and Damian’s. It looked like they’d paired off to have their war. 

He made his way around the battlegrounds and sat down next to Alfred. His panic already subsiding watching his boys all laugh and play together. 

“Are you alright sir?”

“Just fine Alfred. I thought something bad had happened when I realized how quiet the house was.”

“When they began roughhousing one another I made the suggestion they turn it into a training of some sort. It was the only way for them to all agree.”

They watched as Dick and Jason both went to throw at the same time the snow clipping Jason’s shoulder and nailing Dick in the hollow of his throat. Both of them went down with Dick gasping and clutching at his throat. Bruce went to stand thinking his eldest had been hurt only to be stopped by Alfred placing a hand on his knee. He turned to the man to see the small smile on his face and looked back at his children just in time to watch something he thought he’d never see.

Damian was cradling Dick’s torso as the two acted out a whole death sequence. Tim was ‘assessing’ Jason’s ‘wound’ while Jason tried to brush him off and continue fire while their enemy was distracted. But they didn’t see Damian’s face when Dick ‘died’ in his arms. They didn’t realize how fast their little brother was until a snowball connected with the middle of Tim’s back and pushed him forward like a limp doll into Jason’s chest. 

Damian allowed his brother a moment with his partner’s ‘corpse’ before Jason jumped the wall and the two circled each other. For a brief moment Bruce thought they were going to hurl the snowballs at their close range but then they both lunged forward and began wrestling in the snow. Dick and Tim both sat up from their spots to watch the fight. After a while they moved to their own spots and began making snow angels. Jason lifted Damian and tossed him to the ground only to begin tickling him. 

Bruce had to smile at all of it. It was good to know that his boys still knew how to play with each other even after all they’d been through. Pink noses and laughter along with shouts and yells of children simply having fun rang through the air around the manor. Even though two of his boys were technically adults they would always be his little kids. Especially on days like this. 


	2. Candy Cane Mishap

The four robins had been calmly lounging around the manor. No crisis to deal with, holiday breaks from schools and taking a small vacation from work. Damian was sitting in one of the large chairs drawing in his sketchbook, Jason sat in the chair across from him reading one of his favorite books of all time, he hadn’t been able to read it since he was little and first come to the manor. Tim was typing away at his laptop at one end of the couch while Dick was sitting on the other side, listening to music and finally letting himself relax. 

All was calm. All was peaceful. 

Alfred brought in mugs of hot chocolate with a bowl of candy for all the boys. Smiling softly at the sight in front of him as he placed it on the coffee table. Each of the little Robins looked up and gave him a smile. It wasn’t until Dick stretched out and grabbed one of the candy canes from the bowl that anyone spoke.

“It warms my heart to see you boys all together like this.”

“Yeah,” Tim looked away from his screen and rolled his shoulders while cracking his neck. “Now we just have to get Bruce down here to relax too.”

“Don’t you mean up here?” Jason marked his page and lifted a brow at his little brother. It had taken him a while but he finally accepted Tim as part of the family. “We all know B is down in the cave right now.”

“Tt, Father has important things to do Todd. You just can’t see that.” 

Damian didn’t even look away from his sketch as he taunted his older brother and Dick watched the whole thing while sucking on his candy cane. Jason leaned forward in his seat towards Damian to see if he could get a reaction. 

“Oh? Then why’s his  _ wittle wobin  _ sitting here with the rest of us rejects?”

The boys entered into a glaring match when Tim tried to step in.

“Guys really? Jason just leave him alone. He was happy for once.”

“I do not need you to defend me Drake!”

“Yeah, you need big bird because you can’t do anything for yourself.”

Damian was red to his ears at the comment and stood to challenge Jason. Dick and Alfred just watched the scene unfold as the two got ready to fight each other.

“Aren’t you going to step in Master Dick?”

“Nah,” He sucked a little more at his candy cane before pulling it out of his mouth and looking up at Alfred. “Think I might just watch until B comes up for dinner and then let him deal with it. I’m on vacation.”

“You may be on vacation but should you tire of this nonsense you are more than welcome to come join me in conversation while I prepare dinner.”

“Thanks, I’ll come over in a little bit. I wanna watch this.”

* * *

Bruce came up from the cave rubbing at his face to find three of his four boys sitting glumly at their places at the table. All three of them scuffed up from the carpet with rug burns and messy hair with their clothes out of place. He simply raised an eyebrow at them. Damian kept his head down to avoid eye contact, Tim had his head resting on his arms on the table, and Jason was smirking at him proudly.

“Do I even want to know?”

“Just wait for it.”   
Bruce opened his mouth to ask what happened when a long drawn out call of his name interrupted him. When he turned his jaw almost dropped. Almost, he was the Batman after all. 

Dick was standing in the doorway with candy canes through his hair and stuck all over his body. He had a few scuffs here and there but the most prominent thing was the extreme pout on his face as he schlomped over to his adoptive father. 

Jason burst out laughing at the scene.

“Bruce~.” Dick pouted even more if that was even possible and tugged a candy cane off his arm before clinging onto Bruce like a baby koala. “Jason’s a meany.”

“You asked for it Dickhead. Don’t go complaining.”

Tim groaned while Damian scoffed and Dick made some sort of whine as he pressed closer to Bruce. He smelled like a candy store.

“What happened?”

“If I may sir?” Alfred stepped into the room with a slightly amused and frankly exasperated look. “Young master Damian and Master Jason were beginning to get into an argument. Instead of stopping it Master Dick said he wished to watch. After I left I assume he refused engagement and it was thrust upon him in the way of the candy he was consuming at the time.”

Jason chuckled more and shook his head.   
“You say it so formally Alf. But yeah, basically that’s what happened.”

Bruce nudged Dick to sit down at his seat while he took his own and shook his head.

“You know better Jay.”

“Maybe.” He plucked a candy cane off the table and began to eat it while making direct eye contact with Dick. 

“But Dick should have played the game.”


	3. Baking

“You need to mix it slowly at first so the sugar doesn’t leave the bowl.”

Alfred watched Tim as he lined up the mixing bowl with the beaters. All of the Robins both past and present watched and listened with full attention. They were helping him make Christmas cookies this year and didn’t want to mess anything up.

“How would it leave the bowl?” 

Despite being the oldest of the bunch Dick never really understood how cooking worked.

“Because, Dickhead, the sugar is loose powder. You spin that fast right of the beat and you’ll make yourself a sugar cloud instead of cookie icing.”

“While you are correct, please refrain from calling your brothers names while baking here Master Jason.”

“Sorry Alfie.”

Alfred was the only one in the entire batfamily that no one would ever disrespect. Ever. It was the worst sin they could do, even worse than killing. 

“Pennyworth, is this the item you requested?”

Damian held out a bottle of candy sprinkles they were going to be mixing into the icing. He was still perched on the step stole he’d had to drag over in order to reach the correct cupboard. 

“Yes. Bring them here.”

The young boy did as told and slipped between Jason and Dick to stand and watch Alfred pour in the sprinkles while Tim continued to mix. 

It was their punishment after the whole candy cane thing to do anything Alfred told them to do for the next 24 hours. While they wanted to complain they all knew they really couldn’t with all the things Alfred did for them on a day to day basis. It was the least they could do to help him out for a change. At least Bruce wasn’t making them clean the batcave alone. Or test the security systems. Those were the nightmare punishments. This was fun at least. 

They continued like that for hours. Every one of them working side by side and following Alfred’s rules and instructions. They wanted to have good cookies to eat at least so they tried their best to follow the instructions. 

Once they were finished with the cookies Alfred had planned on making things got different. Alfred offered them a challenge. 

“I am very proud of all of you for working so well today. So I propose a challenge. Master Bruce will be home in around an hour. I want each of you to use what you learned today to attempt your own cookie recipe. Master Bruce and I will judge them and whoever did the best work will be released from following my instructions. Sound fair?”

His answer were smirks from the four in front of him. 

* * *

When Bruce made it home from his office at Wayne Enterprises he found Alfred standing at the door to greet him. That wasn’t odd in itself but the fact that the boys were meant to be following Alfred and they were all suspiciously absent had him a little on edge.

“Good evening sir. How was work?”

“The same, boring. How was your day Alfred?”

“Rather entertaining. The boy’s helped me to bake the cookies.”

Bruce made a face that had Alfred tutting at him.

“If I remember correctly you are not so adept in the kitchen work yourself so you have no room to talk.”

“Where are they if they’re done baking?”

“Who said they were done baking?”

Alfred smiled at him but Bruce knew it was one of the grins that meant Alfred knew something he didn’t. He followed the older man into the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks. 

There was flour and sugar  _ everywhere.  _

It was on the floors the cabinets, the counters. It was in the boy’s hair, their clothes, their faces and arms. But all four of them were smiling and focused on their tasks. They each had two cookies laying out in front of them. All different kinds with different styles. Damian had his tongue poked out as he concentrated on piping the icing correctly. Tim was eye level with the counter to make sure his sprinkles were evenly coating the cookie. Jason was sprinkling powdered sugar over his two so gently that it was almost hard to believe that he was also the same person who put 8 heads into a duffle bag and threw them at Gotham’s drug dealers. Dick had icing smeared on his cheek and nose, his brows furrowed while he tried to smooth the icing over his sugar cookies properly. 

Alfred cleared his throat and sent the boys jumping sky high. All of them quickly laying their plates on the counter like it was an episode of Top Chef. Though, he supposed that’s what it might have been when all the eyes in the room turned to him expectantly.

“What?”

“You have to try them all and judge them sir. Then one of the boys will be released from his punishment.”

All of his Robins looked at him in anticipation, all covered in their efforts to make the best cookie they could. Carefully Bruce stepped over a spot of flour on the floor towards the cookies. He wondered how Alfred hadn’t had a conniption at the state of the kitchen yet. 

He picked up one of the cookies on the plate in front of him. All eyes watching to see how he’d react. The kid’s of the world’s greatest detective were truly the worst people to play contests with. 

All it took was one bite. 

Bruce’s reaction was instant. He’d seen the grin on Jason’s face. He’d seen the smirks on the rest. 

There was no winner. 

Not when every single one of them decided pranking their father was a better option than getting out of chores. 


	4. Comatose

Bruce stepped out of his study to find silence. Learning from his last mistake he looked out the window and saw nothing but snow gently falling to the ground outside the manor. No snowball fights. The sun had set around an hour ago but after raising the boys to fight crime during the night of the city he wouldn’t be surprised if they’d been out in the dark. 

He checked all of their rooms to find them empty. There was the parental worry and concern that was gripping him again. He just needed to know that they were safe. He made his way downstairs checking every room and finding nothing until he saw Alfred idly dusting the mantle of one of the sitting rooms. 

“Alfred.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know where the boys are?”

A soft smile made its way onto the old man’s face as he nodded. Alfred led Bruce through the halls of the manor and explained quietly as they made their trek. 

“After they finished dinner they wanted to reward themselves for a days work. They took the cookies we’d all made into the library to read and eat. I had checked on them a couple times but when I last went in…”

He trailed off as he opened the door to the manor library. What Bruce saw made his heart melt instantly. Damian was lying on the love seat with Titus covering most of his body like a living blanket. Both of them sound asleep with the book laying haphazardly on the ground like it’d fallen out of his hand. Tim was tilted sideways in his chair with his book laying in his lap, his fingers curled loosely around the edges. It looked like he’d fallen asleep reading. Dick was laying sideways on his chair. His legs dangling off the edge with his head bent at an angle between the arm and the back of the chair. A book resting on his chest and a cookie tin lying on the floor beside him. Jason was curled on his side along the length of the other love seat. Ace curled up at his feet. Jason had his book sat on the ground with the page carefully marked. Like he was the only one who’d consciously made the choice to sleep there. 

Bruce sighed and quietly stepped into the room and over to one of the window chests. They kept spare blankets tucked around in many of the rooms of the manor for times just like this. Bruce went to Tim first since he was the closest. Tucked the orange blanket around his small frame with nothing more than a small twitch from the boy. Next up was Dick. Bruce pulled out the dark blue blanket his eldest had always insisted on when he fell asleep somewhere in the manor when he was younger. Something about it just made him happy and who was Bruce to deny him that? He gently wrapped it around his sleeping son’s form. Pausing when Dick’s breathing changed and he began feeling around for something. Bruce knew what he wanted. He smiled softly before carding Dick’s bangs back and placing a soft kiss to his forehead. Immediately he settled into the blanket and rubbed his cheek against the plush chair. 

Bruce hoped he’d never grow up.

Moving over to Damian he laid the dark green blanket over his son and Titus. Damian didn’t stir but Titus lifted his head. A quick pat and a finger to the lips later Titus was settled back against Damian’s chest with his head in the crook of his human’s neck. The dog was about the same size as the boy. They were good companions. 

On his way over to Jason Ace stretched out and cramped his human on the couch. Jason frowned in his sleep and tried to readjust, snuggling into the couch and wrapping his arms around his stomach in the process. It looked like he was cold without his leather covering him. Bruce made sure he was gentle when he draped the red blanket over his second son. For once since that terrible night he didn’t look angry or in pain. Sometimes Bruce forgot just how young all of his boys were. He could see it now. All the worry gone from Jason’s face, all the hurt erased from the lines. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and brushing a few strands of white out of his face. Warm fingers grazed over a cool forehead and Jason moved again. Frowning a little with his brows scrunching up before his eyes fluttered open. Bruce felt his heart skip a beat at the color. 

When he’d first taken him in Jason’s eyes were a bright blue. Similar to Dick’s in a way but a few shades lighter. After the crowbar his eyes had been green. The lazarus pit showing it’s claim on him in more than one way. As the days went by his eyes had become more and more blue, settling eventually on a kind of teal. On good days his eyes would be blue with hints of green on the edges. On the bad days the blue would only be visible in the right lighting. The eyes he saw right then? Those were eyes the same shade he saw that night in the alley after catching Jason with the Batmobile’s tires. The same shade of blue he thought he’d buried with his second Robin. 

“Bruce?...”

Jason’s soft mumble brought him out of his musings. Now wasn’t the time to get lost in his head. Jason tried to push himself up but Bruce put a hand on his shoulder to keep him down.

“Don’t get up because of me.”

He whispered to not wake up any of his other sleeping sons. God knew they needed the rest with their lives. 

“What time is it?...”

“Time for you to go back to sleep. It’s alright Jay. Rest up.”

He could tell his second born wanted to put up a fight but when Bruce started running his hands through his hair he saw the fight leave. Jason relaxed against the couch again and shut his eyes. Leaning into Bruce’s hand as he cupped his cheek and traced a scar where Joker had cut off the Robin mask. As much as he wanted to he couldn’t go back in time to fix what happened. But he could enjoy every moment he had with his boys and stop it from ever happening again. 

With one small kiss to Jason’s temple, Bruce left the room and turned in for the night as well. Gotham could do without her guardian for a night. 


	5. Gala

It was Christmas Eve and the Wayne family was on almost every single Gotham news station. Big smiles and fancy suits, flashing lights and charity events. The boys were forced by Bruce to go with him to one of the Christmas Gala’s hosted by one of the other big runners in the city. Bruce Wayne might be known as a billionaire playboy, but his kids? His kids were public menaces. 

While Bruce schmoozed with the other high society. Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian all watched from their claimed table. They each had little plates of cheese and meat to pick at as they people watched. Jason leaned forward and looked at two girls. 

“Dick, ten bucks you can’t get them both.”

Tim and Damian both groaned at the antics.

“Really Jason?”

“Todd, they are people not objects to purchase.”

“I know. But Goldie thinks everyone wants him. I wanna see him prove himself wrong.”

“I’ll prove I’m right Jay. Bet accepted.”

Before any protests could be made Dick was gone. Floating through the crowd to get to the two girls Jason had pointed at. 

Tim looked around to see what they could do to entertain themselves when he saw it. Right between the kitchen doors there were liters of pop sitting and waiting to be served. 

“I have an idea.”

Jason looked at him while Damian just gave a look of curiosity before looking away. 

“What?”

“What if we pranked this place?”

“What? And ruin Bruce’s meet and greet with a ticket to go home? Replacement you are more bad than I gave you credit for.”

“Father will not be pleased if we do this. However watching Grayson schmooze with those women is disgusting. Continue Drake.”

“They have pop in the back.”

“Okay? And?”

“And so we can make some pop rockets. And get this place into a sticky situation.”

“We’d have to get Grayson and Father out of the room before setting them off. It’s our best chance to not be punished by Pennyworth for ruining the suits.”

“I was about to disagree with the demon but he’s got a point. You have a plan for that too Timbers?”

A couple seconds of silence went by at the table before Tim smiled at his own idea. This was going to be way too much fun.

“Who wants to make the rockets?”

* * *

Tim rushed up to Dick’s side looking completely panicked. Dick had both ladies on his arms, he had proven himself right after all. Still, Tim had an act to do.

“Dick.”

Seeing his little brother’s face Dick was unhooking himself from the women he was with.    
“Timmy? What’s wrong?”

“Something’s wrong with Damian.”

Dick quickly shooed the women away from them so they wouldn't be listened to. 

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. We were all eating and everything was fine and then he just got really pale and he said he didn’t feel good and started gagging and-”

“Where is he?”

“Jason took him outside. The back way. I can’t find Bruce and I don’t know what to do.”

“Okay. Jason’s with him?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go find Bruce and then get out of here.”

They caught sight of him and both quickly went up Dick excusing the people he was with and Bruce was already on edge by the time they were gone.

“What’s wrong?”

Tim and Dick explained to him all over again. Little did the victims know that Jason and Damian had snuck back into the kitchen to enact the plan. The second their family was out of the immediate splash zone they launched. The bottles were placed and then thrown onto the floor. They exploded. Much like they should have. The kitchen staff watched them as they did their antics. Jason and Damian both having promised that they’d be paid regardless of what happened and their jobs would be fine. They were the Waynes, they did what they wanted with Gotham. 

The sticky beverages covered every inch of the place. Bruce and Dick had whirled at the sounds and stood stunned in the doorway. Seeing their faces made Jason burst out in laughter. Damian smirking haughtily at the wreckage they’d caused and Tim couldn’t help the giggles that slipped past. Bruce looked like he was having heart palpitations but Dick slowly smiled and shook his head while huffing out a laugh. 

“I’ve taught you all too well.”

“Thanks for admitting this is your fault Dick! See you in the car!”

Tim went running. Turning back towards the kitchen doors he saw Jason and Damian making a run for the back exit. He turned to chase his little siblings when he saw Bruce.

“Come on B. It’s not like this is the worst thing they could have done.”

It was true. This really wasn’t. 

And sure. Maybe the glares from the rest of the high society were a bit satisfying. After all, Bruce had heard the two women Dick had been with, talking about trying to date a Wayne just for the cash and then leaving them. No suits were ruined, so he supposed he could ask Alfred to take it easy on them. He wasn’t too mad. Even with all the work this was going to be to clean up. Good thing he was a multi billionaire and could tip the cleaning staff enough to make it all worthwhile. 


	6. Holiday Stakeout

“This is boringggg.” Nightwing hoped from foot to foot from where he stood next to Red Hood on the rooftop across from the warehouse they were watching. It was cold and the place had been dead the whole night. They’d been out there for hours. 

“B it’s Christmas Eve. Maybe the criminal underground decided to take a break?”

Red Hood shivered in his spot. Sure his leather kept him warm and the suits were all insulated but it was Gotham in winter and it was cold as hell’s ninth ring out there. 

Batman’s deep grumble cut through the line. 

“Hood you know as well as I do that the crime never stops in Gotham.” 

Silence fell over the line before a muttered line from Red Robin came through.

“God that was so dramatic.”

“Batman I’m freezing my assets off out here.” Nightwing complained through the link again. He never was the patient one. “Hood and I don’t have capes to keep us warm and don’t brood enough to be a furnace like you.”

Before Batman could respond Robin’s voice filled the comm system.

“An error I’m surprised Red Robin hasn’t made as well.”

“I wasn’t even complaining! How did you manage to rope me into this!” 

“You are an easy target.”

The bickering continued between the two Robins and Batman just sighed. Shifting his binoculars a bit he could see Nightwing and Red Hood laughing at him from their roof. He didn’t really need all of them out there for something this simple but as Jason had said earlier it was Christmas Eve and he didn’t want his family out of his sight. 

“Oh!” Nightwing cut in again but this time he sounded much more cheery. “I have candy!”

“No one wants your candy Wingnut.”

“That’s fine there’s more for me.”

“Wing wait.” Red Robin cut in just as Nightwing was about to drop the candy into his mouth.    
“What kind?”

“What kind do you want Red?”

“Movement.”

In one word all the playfulness was gone from the Robins. Each and every one of them got into their positions while Batman took the lead and they all watched the warehouse. Looks like the thugs actually decided to make an appearance. Unfortunately for them they had a brood of very cold bats who wanted to go home and get warm again. 

Batman jumped first, practical style, silent. Robin flew at his hip. The two of them using their capes to slow and quiet their decent. Red Robin used his grapnel to lower himself to the ground. Nightwing and Red Hood waited for their cue. Batman, Robin, and Red Robin, working in tandem to herd all the criminals out of the warehouse and into the alley. Nightwing jumped first. Flips and spins, all frivolous activity meant to scare the criminals. And it worked. He landed like a cat on the concrete, effectively cutting off one of their exists. When one of the thugs looked ready to fight the escrima sticks came twirling out before sparking as a wolfish grin grew on Dick's face.

"It's Christmas Eve guys. Aren't you worried about being on the naughty list? What about Santa?"

"He ain't real freak!"

"Really? Think you might wanna turn around."

Jason jumped. Red Hood landing in a solid crouch on the ground, both guns drawn and red helmet glinting in the dim lighting. He almost laughed under the hood at the faces he was getting as the thugs realized their other hope of escape was gone. 

"Ho Ho Ho mother fuckers."

One of the thugs passed out just as another pissed himself. 

Oh yeah, Christmas Eve was lit. 


	7. Alarms

Bruce had been sitting in the living room reading with Jason. The two weren’t arguing or anything, simply just enjoying the daylight and bit of free time. The house seemed quiet. Alfred toiling away at his usual things while Dick, Damian, and Tim played video games together upstairs. Bruce took a sip of his coffee and pat Ace where he lay beside him. 

He’d thought it would be a quiet day until the sound of feet and yelling came rushing down the stairs and into the room. He closed his book knowing that whatever was happening was going to take all of his attention while Jason tried to block it out still. 

“Father!”

“Bruce you’re not gunna believe this!”

“Ohmygod Bruce!”

Damian, Dick, and Tim all slid in and ran to the couch. Damian hopping up and using Bruce as a human shield. 

“What’s happening?”

“Bruce, Oh my god, Bruce we were talking about Christmas and Dick was explaining it since Dami’s never had one and,” he paused to laugh. “You’re not gunna believe this. Oh god, Bruce-”

“Say another word Drake and I will cut your tongue out as you sleep.”

Bruce didn’t miss the grin and glint of mischief Dick got at that.

“Now now Dami, that would put you on the naughty list.”

Bruce could feel his youngest’s fingers tighten in the back of his sweater. 

Tim smiled and cackled loud enough that Jason heaved a heavy sigh and put his book down to glare at his brothers.

“Will you spit it out already? That or get out. Bruce and I were reading.”

“Dami’s afraid of Santa.”

Silence.

“I am not afraid. Grayson. It is just a concern.”

“You’re totally scared of him demon.”

“Drake, not another word.”

Jason, meanwhile, was utterly losing it on his chair. 

“Wait, wait, you’re telling me. That the child of Batman. Is scared of freaking Santa Claus?”

Damian glowered and Jason laughed harder. Bruce had to close his eyes against the impending headache before turning and moving Damian to his front.

“Damian. Be honest with me. Are you afraid of Santa?”

“As I said before Father, it is more of a concern than a fear.”

“Why?”

“Does it not bother any of you that there is a man who knows when you are sleeping, knows when you are awake, knows what you are doing at all times, and he can bypass the alarms Grayson stop laughing this isn’t funny!”

Yep, there was the headache. Even though he knew he should be scolding his boys for laughing he had to admit that it was mildly amusing. Damian had faced off against some of the worst criminals the world had ever seen without twitching. Yet here he was. Scared of a person most boys his age would love to meet. Bruce let out another sigh. This was going to be a long Christmas. 


	8. Holiday Hang Man

Bruce was tired. Everyone was. The Justice League had just handled a minor alien invasion and it was holiday season. Which meant everyone on watchtower was practically dead on their feet. The battle had been hard won, many of the leaguers coming back to watchtower with injuries. Teams had been split up and were searching for each other. He was just hoping to go home, check on his boys, and go to bed for a well earned rest. Dick was supposed to send him a message once they’d gotten back to the cave while he wrote his report for the league. He hated waiting to write it out and much preferred to type the record while everything was still fresh in his mind. 

Glancing over to his communications screen in the monitor womb he noticed something that sent every nerve into high alert. There was no message from Dick. There were no messages at all. The fight had been done for over an hour. 

He forgo the report and instead attempted to contact his birds. None of them answered. So he took the next logical steps to find where they were. He stepped out of the monitor womb and began heading towards the zeta beams when he saw Superman. 

“Clark. Have you seen the boys?”

“Nice to see you too Bruce. Glad you’re okay after that battle. I’m fine thanks.”

“Answer my question.”

“They came up to watchtower to wait for you. They all seemed a little bit out of it but that’s not surprising considering what they were doing out there.”

“What do you mean?”

“All four of them went all out on the aliens when you got thrown. The leaguers around them said they’d never seen something so terrifying as all of them working together like that. Made a bigger hole in less time than I could have even. You should be proud.”

His boys thought he was hurt. Working like that against what they had all been fighting, he would be surprised if they weren’t hurt at all.

“Did they go to the infirmary?”

“B. You raised them. Where do you think they went?”

With a glare Bruce moved past him and headed off in the direction of the bedrooms. He never stayed in his really but when his birds were younger he would bring them up with him while he worked and they would stay in there. 

Opening the door he couldn’t stop the conflicting emotions he felt. On one hand it was utterly precious how all four of them were curled around each other on the bed. Snuggled into one another so perfectly that it made him hesitant to wake them. On the other hand though, all of them were hurt. There were scrapes and cuts covering all of their exposed flesh and all their uniforms were torn in different places to show cuts and bruises. It almost looked like the boys had come in here and then all passed out together. 

He needed to make sure there were no long term injuries and get them home. 

So Bruce walked slowly over to the bed and took his best guess which one of them would be the safest to touch. All of them were known to react poorly when woken up from an injury induced slumber from the field. He chose Dick as he was the one Bruce knew how to soothe the easiest. He’d been around the longest and knew Bruce’s touch the best out of the four. 

Gently nudging his shoulder Dick groaned a little and turned his head before peeking out at him from behind his bangs. 

“B’rss?”

His voice was thick with sleep and Bruce just wanted to make all of them safe and keep them that way forever. 

“Hey chum.”

“Are you okay?..”

“I’m fine. But you boys need to get checked out in the med bay before we can go home. Okay?”

Dick whined a little before reaching out a hand from under his brothers and tugging at Bruce’s arm. He went to say no. But then he saw the famous Grayson puppy dog eyes and he just couldn’t. He was never good at telling his oldest no when it involved his need to be touched and loved. So he gave in, carefully climbed into the bed, and cuddled with his birds.


	9. Sleds and Hot Chocolate

“You are so dead Dick!”

“You have to catch me first Jay!”

Dick ran ahead of his brothers with his blue sled dragging heavily behind him. Jason had the rope of his red one slung over his shoulder. Damian and Tim just watching with their own sleds. It had become a tradition of sorts for the birds to go out into the woods around Wayne manor and sled with each other. It started when Dick and Jason had been banned from Gotham’s sled riding hill and needed another place to stay. Afterwards it was just a staple of their snowy holidays. 

All of their sleds were personalized. Dick’s blue with his initials right on the front. Trapeze’s drawn onto the wood and black birds drawn across. If anyone already knew his identity it was easy to see the nod to his hero name in the sled. Both of them. The birds were robins with blue chests instead of red. 

Jason's was personalized with his bright red and initials. The only thing on the sled that he didn’t paint were the Robins sitting on the front next to his name. The ones that Dick and Tim had painted on for him after Tim found out about the tradition. The Robins that made the sled into a true piece of honor in the manor garage. 

Damian and Tim pulled their sleds side by side watching the chaos that was their older siblings. Tim had actually brought Damian into the sled riding tradition. Dick being too busy as Batman to be able to come out and join his little brothers when he brought the new Robin into the house. It had taken a lot of convincing time but they had gotten their older brother to take a break from all the working and go out and have some fun with them. 

Today they’d tried to drag Bruce out but for some reason or other the man had said no. All he told them was to be back inside by sundown and he would have a surprise for them. So they each dressed in their warm clothes and went out to play. 

It would have been funny if it were anyone else. That a 25 and 23 year old men could still play the way they did. But with childhoods the way they all had them it wasn’t really that surprising that they learned to find the joy in the little things. They would play with each other until they day they died and that was that. Or in Jason’s case, died again, as he so liked to remind them. 

They spent around three hours on the hill itself. Sledding and racing. Wrestling each other while on their fast moving objects. When they got bored of that it turned into building snow forts and waging sieges on the others forts to see who’s was the strongest. That turned into an all out brawl. The only stopped when the snow had turned into a mud color rather than the white it was supposed to be. 

Then and only then did they decide to go back to the manor. 

They came in through the back door into the kitchen entrance laughing and red nosed. Damian perched up atop Jason’s shoulders while Dick had an arm around Tim. They stank terribly but it was clear that they had had fun with their day. 

Bruce cleared his throat to get all of their attentions. He looked appreciatively at all of his boys. Even after everything, they all still were his little lights. 

“Alfred and I made you some hot chocolate.”

They all blinked at him for about two seconds before the expression of absolute elation hit them all at once. In the next second all four of his birds were crowding around him excitedly telling him about their day while slurping their warm beverages and marshmallows. 


	10. Deck the Halls

They had been given one mission. To decorate all of Wayne Manor for Christmas before Bruce came home from work. Alfred was out for the weekend. Visiting with his family before coming back home to spend the holiday with them. But the Robins were all a bunch of chaotic beings to start with and giving them a time limit and an impossible task was the one thing that lit every fire beneath them all. 

It started out with a joke. A simple joke of having wheels to go faster through the halls. Then suddenly the four of them had roller skates strapped to their feet and were zooming through the manor hanging streamers as they went. Bows were hung, mistletoe strung above doorways, garlands intertwined with the staircase banisters. 

They kept going.

Getting more ideas and more intense as they went. 

At one point Dick was swinging on the chandeliers to dust them. Jason was muscling the whole Christmas tree by himself just to prove a point. Tim was rollerblading while swiffering to make it even harder on himself. 

Damian almost killed him when the wet streak made his socks damp.

Things got even worse when they realized they had to decorate all the trees and Dick got the idea to hang tinsel from the chandeliers. There was screaming, kicking, fighting. Wet socks, swords and ornaments flying through the air. At one point one of them almost hit Dick as he swung from one hanging object to the next because the whole manor was his own personal playground and he would never grow out of it. Alfred wasn’t home and the 25 year old man was still acting like a child. 

Damian climbed one of the trees and Jason threatened to tape him up there to be the star of the house. Which was all fine and dandy until Tim made the comment that Damian was too gloomy to be the star for the house and they’d have to tape Dick up. 

The ensuing argument would have gone for more hours until every phone blasted out in an alarm. 

Bruce would be home from work soon. 

They weren’t done with the tree in the main entrance. 

They’d be damned if they lost here.

The three younger robins ran into the main hall to find Dick hanging by one leg off one of the chandeliers gently placing a star down on top of the tree.

“Grayson! Father will be home soon, get down this instant and help us decorate.”

“Already on my way little D.”

Tim and Jason were already hauling the ornament boxes out into the open. And the boys worked together. Only speaking to give instructions or to ask if something looked right. They were almost done, and good thing too since they could hear the engine of the car Bruce took to work coming down the driveway. All they had left to do was put the bow on the top under the star. They’d be done after that. One last grand gesture. But they didn’t have time to get the ladder. So Jason grabbed Dick by the legs and hoisted him into the air Tim and Damian working in a similar fashion to get the bow into his reach. He almost had it secure. They were so close.

Bruce opened the door.

And suddenly all their hard work came crashing down to the ground with them. 

Shouts and shattering ornaments filled the room and instead of coming home to a decorated manor and tired out kids he had himself a heap of glass, tree, and children. 

Dick still somehow managed to wriggle himself out from under the limbs of his brothers and tree enough to give Bruce a wide smile. His child was still as excitable as ever.

“Hi Bruce!”

After a deep suffering sigh Bruce relented and smiled a little at his son.

“Hi Dick.”


	11. Mission Gone Wrong

This was supposed to be an easy mission. It wasn’t meant to be running for their lives and a collapsing building. It wasn’t supposed to be a dust cloud in the bitter cold of Gotham’s streets. Looking at the ruin of the building they’d just been in trying to find his children in the dark. 

“Everyone, report.”

It was easier to let Batman take over at times like this. When the worry and fear for his boys wanted to take out everything. He knew he had to be patient. He couldn’t just go throwing things recklessly around the wreckage. And if all of them made it out then there wouldn’t be a need for it anyways. The silence on the comm was hurting him more than any knife or bullet every could. 

“I’m here.”

Tim’s voice filtering in through his ear piece and Bruce almost dropped in relief that at least one of them was okay.

“Are you alright?”

“I think so. Got clipped as it came down, I’ll be sore tomorrow but I’m okay.”

“Do you see the others?”

They’d been in a group at the other side of the building. If Tim had been clipped then he needed to know where the others were and why they weren’t responding. 

Damian’s voice was the next one to come over the line.

“I’m fine Father.”

He could hear Tim scoff.

“Yeah, now that I got you out from the rubble. You sure you’re okay?”

There was a pause as he assessed himself. 

“May have bruised some ribs but I will be fine.”

“Where are Nightwing and Red Hood?”

“They were behind us…”

The “In the building” went unsaid. All of them looking at the pile of destruction that they were now almost positive two of their family was trapped in. 

“Nightwing, Hood, report now.”

Static crossed over the link before Jason’s voice came through, scratchy, tired, wrong. 

“B?”

“Hood, are you alright?”

“Trapped under a building. Head hurts, cold, hard to breathe. I’ve got Wing but he’s not really with it.”

“Injuries?”

“Saw a beam hit him when the floor went out. Can’t tell past that. Too dark.”

“Can you move?”

“Not really, we’re pinned good B.”

He coughed a little before groaning softly. Tim and Damian already moving through the wreckage with Bruce hot on their heels. 

“Try to get him talking.”

“Tried...can’t...He won’t..”

“Hood, what’s wrong?”

“Can’t...can’t breathe…”

Bruce could feel his heart thumping in his chest. If they couldn’t breathe then there was a much shorter time frame than they’d thought. 

“You need to focus on staying awake okay? Are you with us?”

“Don’t..don’ burry me ‘gain…”

He could feel his heart shatter right at those words.

“I’m getting you out. I’m going to get you out of there okay? You’re going to be fine.”

There was no response. Tim, Damian, and him all working together to get under. They could see the edge of Dick’s boots. 

“Jason talk to me.”

They could hear sharp gasping from under the rocks. They had to get to him. Had to get to both of them. The more they uncovered the more Bruce’s heart squeezed. They didn’t look to be too badly hurt but there was still the risk of internal injuries. Eventually they got to their heads. Both of them breathing ragged even though Dick was still unconscious. Jason’s eyes were half lidded and staring straight up at nothing. Tim and Damian both rolled Dick off of his spot half covering Jason and tried to check him over.

“B he seems okay. Can’t tell in the light though. Have to get him back to the cave to make sure.”

“How’s Hood?”   
Bruce patted the sides of Jason’s face. His helmet had been lost somewhere during the fire fight. A thin trail of blood coming down the side of his face from his temple. 

“Jay? Can you hear me?”

No response again. So Bruce kept trying. He wasn’t giving up on his boy.

“Jason, come on.”

No verbal response. But there was a shuddering breath and Jason looked at him finally. A scared look he hadn’t seen on his boy’s face since he was Robin. Quickly Bruce scooped Jason into his arms and carried him towards the batmobile while his two other boys followed with Dick hung between them. 

They’d get them back to the cave. Back home. And no one would ever hurt them again.


	12. Merry Christmas!

Bruce looked around the room at his family. All of them were gathered. All the ones who could at the moment anyways. Selina and Kate were stood by the windows chatting with each other about life. Jason and Tim were watching something on Tim’s tablet while Damian was held on Dick’s lap like an unhappy cat. He knew his youngest enjoyed it, even though he wouldn’t show it. Barbara, Stephanie, and Cass were at the end of the table. Enjoying a very animated conversation from Stephanie if looks were to be believed. 

He admired the scene a little more. The lights a warm glow, snow flittering down onto the window sills outside. The house warm and comforting despite years ago Bruce thinking it would be a prison of memories. Now it was more like a portal. A gateway to show him the life that he’d led so far, yes there were painful memories and ones of his parents in the house. Memories that brought too many emotions for him to think about them long. But there were also memories of Dick swinging on the chandeliers when he first came to the manor. Memories of Jason falling asleep reading in the library rather than in his own bed. Tim leaving robotics projects in the most random places, Damian playing with swords out in the garden. The manor had been turned from a tomb into a place of life and warmth. All of it due to his family. 

He stood up from the table and made his way back to the kitchen to find the one missing family member. Alfred was just finishing the turkey and getting it ready to serve when Bruce walked in. 

“Ah Master Bruce. Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Of course Alfred. But listen. I wanted to give you something in private.”

That paused the older man in his tracks. He gave his first charge a confused look as he toweled off his hands. Only for Bruce to pull a small wrapped box from his suit jacket. 

“Sir-”

“Take it Alfred.”

A laugh made its way out as Alfred took the box with a huff. And people didn’t realize where he got all the faces he made. 

“Open it.”

A few moments later Alfred was standing speechless holding a framed photograph of the whole family together. Every last one of them posed with each other on a rooftop in Gotham. Smiles on all of their faces, even Bruce’s. It was a rare occurrence and this one had been handed right to him. When tears began to form in Alfred’s eyes Bruce leaned forward to hug him.

“Merry Christmas Alfred.”

“Merry Christmas my boy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Six Chapters Today and Six Chapters tomorrow morning. I hope you all enjoyed and please tell me what your favorites are so I know what kind of stories are enjoyed for the future! Merry Christmas Eve everybody, and if you celebrate something else, Happy Holidays!


End file.
